The present invention relates to non-hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated non-animal oils having a low level of trans-fatty acids and improved flavor and performance attributes especially suitable for food applications and processes for the preparation thereof.
As consumers have become more aware of the health impact of lipid nutrition, consumption of oils with high levels of unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and low levels of trans-fats is desirable.
Many oils are chemically hydrogenated; hydrogenation is used to improve performance attributes such as stability. When an oil is hydrogenated, the number of olefinic unsaturations in the fatty acids is reduced. However, hydrogenation can affect the stereochemistry of double bonds by either moving the double bond to another position in the fatty acid or causing the primarily cis-double bonds to isomerize to trans-double bonds. Isomerization of cis-fatty acids to trans-fatty acids is undesirable due to the negative health issues relating to the consumption of trans-fatty acids.
One application of oils is for use during deep-frying. The temperatures of deep-frying can cause the oil to oxidize and thus, degrade faster than it would at a lower temperature. Thus, many unhydrogenated oils with high levels of unsaturated or polyunsaturated fats have limited use in deep-frying operations due to their instability; deep-frying is an important segment of the food processing industry. Many non-hydrogenated soybean oils are unstable and easily oxidized during cooking, which in turn creates off-flavors of the oil and compromises the sensory characteristics of foods cooked in such oils.
Generally, oils extracted from soybeans have an α-linolenic acid (ALA) content of 5%-10%. There are several factors that affect oxidative stability and flavor stability. The amount of ALA in the oil is one of these factors because it is known to oxidize faster than other fatty acids with fewer double bonds. In addition, ALA has been suggested as a precursor to undesirable odor and flavor development in foods. Thus, an oil having a low ALA content and an improved stability in its flavor and performance attributes for use in food operations is needed. Oils of the present invention meet these needs.